When a food writer has a birthday, where does she eat? This food writer went to the Hungry Cat, slurped 30-odd oysters and partook of chef David Lentz's decidedly grown-up brunch, which includes some of the best crudo dishes in town, bright with citrus and chili oils and pine nuts. The Hungry Cat is demure in many ways: This, the original in a three-restaurant franchise, is tucked into a notch of Hollywood between buildings and parking decks, its festive interior colorful but certainly not grand. But it's secretly a place for opulence, with its fresh-juice cocktails, its seafood towers, its whole Santa Barbara uni, its selection of birthday-worthy oysters and its fantastic wine list. (Get the bubbly — you know you want it.) At lunch, this is a spot to slip away and eat extravagant lobster rolls and sip crisp white wine; at dinner you can feast on scallop potpie, with a serving of caviar on the side if you'd like. Decadence through comfort, with a briny aftertaste. 1535 N. Vine St., Hlywd.; (323) 462-2155, thehungrycat.com. Mon.-Wed., noon-10 p.m.; Thurs.-Fri., noon-11 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Entrees $13-$28, or market price. Full bar.

 

Besha Rodell's Introduction

Anne Fishbein's Photography

The Google Map

 

The 99 Essential Restaurants List:

A-Frame
Alma
Angelini Osteria
Animal
Attari Sandwich Shop
Bäco Mercat
Bar Amá
The Bazaar
Bestia
BierBeisl
Bludso's
Cacao Mexicatessen
Canelé
La Casita Mexicana
Cemitas Poblanas Elviritas
Chichen Itza
Chung King
Cole's
Coni'Seafood
Cube Cafe & Marketplace
Din Tai Fung
Eva
Father's Office
Fred 62
Gjelina
Golden Deli
Go's Mart
Il Grano
Guelaguetza
Guisados
Hatfield's
Ha Tien Quan
Hawkins House of Burgers
Hayat's Kitchen
El Huarache Azteca
Huckleberry
The Hungry Cat
ink.
Jar
Jitlada
JTYH Heavy Noodle II
Kang Ho Dong Baekjong
Kiriko
Kiyokawa
Kogi Truck
Krua Siri
L&E Oyster Bar
Langer's
Little Dom's
Lucques
Ludo Truck
Lukshon
Mariscos Jalisco
Matsuhisa
Meals by Genet
Mélisse
Milo and Olive
Mo-Chica
Musso & Frank
Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa
Nickel Diner
Night + Market
Oinkster
Osteria Mozza
Pann's
Pa-Ord Noodle
El Parian
Park's BBQ
Philippe the Original
Picca
Pink's
Pizzeria Mozza
Playa
Pollo a la Brasa
Providence
R&R Soul Food
Ración
Red Medicine
Ricky's Fish Tacos
Rivera
Rocio's Moles de los Dioses
Salt's Cure
Sapp Coffee Shop
Savoy Kitchen
Sea Harbour
Shanghai No. 1 Village Seafood
Soban
Son of a Gun
Sotto
Spago
The Spice Table
Superba Snack Bar
Tacos Leo
The Tasting Kitchen
Tavern
Tsujita LA
Vincenti Ristorante
Wurstküche
Zam Zam Market

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